Baby on Board sign?

[Mamawell]

What is wrong with a baby on board sign?

I've seen this come a lot on another thread, that it annoys people.

Why?

*car seat that should say

My is just a plain yellow, 'baby on board'. It came with packaging that said it's good for alerting the emergency services that there may have been a baby in the car.

Some people leave their baby seats in the car when they aren't in the car. The sign shouldn't be up if the baby isn't in the car. As the baby May have been ejected in a crash.

My Mum used to have one in her car when my dc were small, having been told that they were for the emergency services. She took it out when they weren't with her.
One day she broke down coming off the motorway, pulled over and was waiting for the AA. A police car happened to drive past so pulled over to make sure she was OK. They saw the car seats and asked where the dc were. She told them they weren't with her and that's why the baby on board sign wasn't in the car. They told her they ignore them and look for carseats as a more reliable sign that there were dc.

My ex sil used to have 5 in her car. She was a twat though!

@Highfield21

I used to think they were BS as well until I read the history. It stems from a car accident in the US where both parents were killed. The authorities realised the next day that they had a baby who was in the car during the accident. When they returned to the scene the baby was dead as he or she had been throw a distance from the car and had remained un noticed. It has morphed into an entirely different message from the one originally intended.

Thanks for sharing. Interesting.

Been many years since I used one, but my sister, a Police officer, suggested one to alert other drivers that I may be driving a little slower/ more cautiously due to a new baby so that I didn't get the usual abuse if you deign to drive too slowly for some folks' liking. A bit like a P plate for new drivers.

Strangely as a very confident driver I totally got what she said , with my pfb I saw every car going fast or jerking around corners quickly as a massive threat! That soon dissipated but think the sign helped other drivers give me a bit of slack.

@Changemyname901

‘Babe on board’ is far more annoying!

🤣

They alert other road users that the car in question is likely to be appallingly driven.

They make me so angry. Entitled parents are one of the worse groups of people on this planet.

If you didn't have one, would it therefore be OK for me to smash into you? How dare you.

For anyone who says that it's because parents are shit drivers, I hope you were joking.

I saw one the other day with "Princess onboard", I've often wondered if that's describing the driver.

My is just a plain yellow, 'baby on board'. It came with packaging that said it's good for alerting the emergency services that there may have been a baby in the car.

Well yes the manufacturers do have to find some way of encouraging the gullible/understandably anxious new parents to buy their useless product but it is utter nonsense and makes no sense.

@sarge89

A police officer told me they're useful if you're in a crash then they know there may have been a baby/child in the car too. That's why I have one 🤷‍♀️

That would make sense if it is only put in the car when transporting children, otherwise the emergency services could spend ages looking for a child who isn't there?

I live in France. The French drive right up my arse. It didn't bother me (that much) a few years ago, but since having a baby it's driven me loopy. I put one on my car. I also put up sign that says: "If you can read this, you're too close". I don't think they've helped... but it made me feel better.

I often see them on cars that are going at the speed of light and otherwise driving terribly which makes me wonder exactly how much regard they have for their child's life.

@sarge89

A police officer told me they're useful if you're in a crash then they know there may have been a baby/child in the car too. That's why I have one 🤷‍♀️

This was confirmed by paramedics to be false, and the one I saw being interviewed on TV was very annoyed at people assuming they needed a sign to be told to check for other passengers. Its standard procedure.

@Mamawell

I thought they were to make the police away if there was a car accident.

How can that be smug? That's why I have one... 🥴

It's not about that.

If it was, you would need to make sure the sign was only up when the baby was in the car as if there was an accident with no baby you'd be wasting paramedics time.

I think they're smug. When I see them I think "this parent is expecting me to drive better because they've warned me their princess is on board" if there was no sign - would the parent understand if there was a crash, as there was no warning for the other driver to be more careful?

For people who think it's stupid and should be obvious to emergency services in the event of a crash, I saw an ambulance program recently where in a multi car pile up an adult was "missed" on the initial sweep for casualties as he was crumpled up in the front passenger foot well, imagine if that was a child in the front and was missed all because there wasn't a sign.......

And if the car is that crumpled how the fuck are they going to see a sticker?

They are very useful to indicate who is likely to be driving like a twat.

I have a plain one which I only display when baby is in the car, in the very unlikely event of a car accident to make sure he is searched for. I know it’s unlikely to be needed, and he’s unlikely to be missed. But the sign gives me a sliver more peace of mind so it’s worth it. I don’t give a toss if people find it annoying.

If they had any track record of actually saving lives then they would be either mandatory or at least highly recommended.

I don’t buy the argument that they alert people to the fact the driver may be tired or distracted. If that were the case we’d have stickers with every conceivable piece of information on, like “shift worker who’s been up for 24 hours driving” or “person prone to headaches driving”. Also in my experience children are far more of a distraction than babies. Babies just cry, they don’t bicker, hit one another or throw things around in the car.

People seem to think they are so that emergency services know to look for a baby/child in case of an accident. That is ridiculous though as surely they are thorough when checking for casualties anyway. Plus I doubt people remove them when the child isn't in the car so that would be a waste of time.

The worst ones are the ones that say 'Little Prince/Princess on Board' 🤮

I think they’re to make people think twice about tail gating, IME they work for that.

People are clearly in a hurry & like to bully you into driving faster by being 10 inches up your arse - maybe they’re less inclined to do so if they think they might kill a baby/toddler in the process.

Thanks for sharing. Interesting.
@Mamawell what @Highfield21 shared is a false urban legend. It’s not true.

The inventor of them said he made them to make other drivers aware they needed to drive more carefully around cars with children in.
Which is stupid because everyone should be driving carefully anyway.

@ArtichokeAardvark

I think they are helpful. Not in saying that there is a baby on board, but that there is potentially a very sleep deprived parent driving the vehicle with a big distraction in the backseat. I'm cautious driving near a car with a sign because I've been that mother.

If you are in such a state and so fucking distracted then don't try to pass the blame to other road users by using a sticker as you weave around the road. Stay at home and don't bloody drive.

People are clearly in a hurry & like to bully you into driving faster by being 10 inches up your arse - maybe they’re less inclined to do so if they think they might kill a baby/toddler in the process.

I would hope that most people would not want to kill anyone, regardless of age.